A Night of Shining Stars
by WritingReadingLaughing
Summary: Merlin is dragged off on a hunting trip on the day of Freya's death. A short fic about what happens. No Slash. Please R&R. Hope that you Enjoy. Spoilers for 2.09. Complete
1. Chapter 1

**This is a very short story that came to me just before I went to bed so I wrote it. Hope that you like it. **

**Disclaimer: Merlin does not belong to me but the story that I wrote does**

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><p>Merlin was staring up at the night sky while the knights burst out into raucous laughter. Apparently, Gwaine's story had been a good one. They had gone away on a hunting trip for a few days to escape the bustle of Camelot and everyone was enjoying themselves. Every evening when the sun had set, the knights would laugh and talk and drink ale around the campfire. Every evening Merlin would not join them. It had been three years to the day, since he had found his one true love and then had her die in his arms. He didn't think that the others had noticed that every year he became slightly detached from them for a couple of days and wasn't his old self, but they did. They didn't know why he was like this, but Merlin could be hard-pressed for answers so they didn't question him. Merlin didn't know that his friends were worried about him. He just missed her.<p>

A shooting star flew towards the horizon as if the sky was grieving with him. Tears began to form in the corners of Merlin's eyes. He squeezed his eyes shut hoping that they would disappear. They did not. Rolling on his side and facing away from the camp, Merlin let his tears fall and soak into the ground. He didn't care about anything except Freya. He had made a promise to her and he had failed. Merlin had never forgiven himself for that.

More laughter echoed from across the clearing followed by cheers and the clanking of mugs. The knights were definitely enjoying themselves. Merlin wrapped the blanket he had brought a little tighter around himself, pushed his back against a large boulder and dried his tears before new ones appeared. A gentle but firm hand touched his shoulder and Merlin tensed.

"Don't worry mate. It's just me." Came Gwaine's voice. "Why aren't you joining us? It's great fun. We've all been telling embarrassing stories and voting which one was the best. I'm sure you'd have some, with all your clumsiness." Gwaine gave a small chuckle. "So far Percival and Leon are tied for first and everyone else is just playing for the fun of it. Who knew that those two could have gotten into so much trouble."

"I don't have any funny or embarrassing stories. Just sad ones." Merlin's voice quivered a bit as he spoke.

"Nonsense!" Said Gwaine as he attempted to pull Merlin up. "Everybody has made a fool of themselves at some point in their lives." Merlin turned his tear streaked face up at him.

"Please, Gwaine. Please." It was said with such pain and sadness that Gwaine instantly dropped the matter and began trying to comfort him.

"Merlin, what's wrong?" Nobody would have known that Gwaine had been drunk not five minutes before. He had sobered up instantly. "Merlin, please. Tell me what happened."

"Nothing. I'm fine."

"You are far from fine, mate!" He scoffed and sat down, leaning against the rock. Merlin sat up and the hugged the blanket tighter. Pulling off his cloak and draping it over the shivering Merlin, Gwaine gave his friend a hug. They both just sat there, lost in thought, watching the moon rise over the distant mountains and the stars as they flew overhead.

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><p><strong>This story was originally supposed to be the beginning of another story but it didn't work. Thought that I should post it anyway.<strong>

** If you really want me to continue then tell me but otherwise I think that this story is finished. As always review are appreciated.**


	2. Author's Note

**Sorry that this is not a new chapter.  
><strong>

**Okay you guys have convinced me to continue the story, but I need help. This was something random that I wrote so I have no plans for it. Any ideas? If you want me to make this into a reveal fic I will. Otherwise help! I'll put a poll up on my profile when I get the chance. (I'm at school right now, in the middle of class) If you have got an idea before then, please review!**

**Thanks  
><strong>


	3. Chapter 2

**Hope that you like this. Special thanks to VampireBabyGirl for her idea. **

**Disclaimer: Merlin does not belong to me**

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><p>It was a cold night and the fire that had been lit was dying down. Gwaine threw another log on to it causing sparks to fly. The other knights were all asleep after a night of storytelling and Merlin and Gwaine were the only ones awake.<p>

Merlin pulled the blanket closer around him as the breeze picked up again and shuffled closer to the fire. His thoughts were all about Freya, the girl ha had loved. Tears pricked at his eyes again and Gwaine noticed.

"Merlin, what is it?" He was surprisingly sympathetic given that he was on a first-name base with alcohol. Another star shot across the sky followed by three others.

"Someone I loved died three years ago to this day. She…" Merlin struggled to find the right words. "She… Understood me. She didn't judge me because I was different." Gwaine nodded to show that he was listening. "We were going to run away. To start a new life together, but she was killed before we could leave Camelot."

"Who would want to kill her." Gwaine asked in surprise. This girl sounded like a gentle soul that wouldn't hurt anybody.

"Arthur." Came the short reply. Gwaine jumped up livid.

"I swear that I'm going to kill him in the very near future! Don't you want him dead?"

"No" The single word seemed to deflate Gwaine and he sat back down.

"Why not? He killed the girl you loved."

"Freya... Freya was cursed. At the stroke of midnight every evening, she would turn into a Bastet. A huge black cat with wings that kills without thinking. Arthur saw a threat to his people and dealt a mortal blow. I followed her back to where she was hidden and brought her to the lake of Avalon. That's where I laid her to rest."

Gwaine seemed to realized that he had heard a story that Merlin hadn't told anybody before. He had been allowed a rare glimpse into Merlin's life that few had had the privilege of.

"I'm sorry Merlin." And Gwaine put a comforting hand over Merlin's shoulders and gave him a hug.

"You have nothing to be sorry for. It's my fault. I promised her that I would look after her and I broke that promise. I just wish that I could be with her again."

Suddenly the night sky seemed to transform into a stream of stars. They danced and jumped like waves and it seemed to be never ending. When they finally did stop, a figure emerged from the trees. Merlin's heart stopped.

"Freya?" He whispered. "Your alive." Then he ran over and swept her off her feet. "I missed you."

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><p><strong>Hope that you liked this story. I will finish my other stories (Haunting Dreams, You should not have done that, Crying Eyes Smiling Eyes) before I start something new. <strong>

**Reviews?**


	4. Chapter 3

**Ok next chapter. I think I know where this story is going to go and I think that there will be another two chapters. Anyway, I hope that you enjoy this next part.**

**Disclaimer: Merlin does not belong to me**

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><p>Gwaine watched in amusement as a young girl appeared in the shadows and Merlin immediately went still and his eyes widened. This was obviously the girl that Merlin had loved before she was killed. She seemed like a gentle soul, with long black hair that ran down to her below her shoulders and soft brown eyes that were filled with compassion. There was something beast-like about her. Maybe it was the way that she stood on the balls of her feet, ready if danger would pass her way. Or the fact that her eyes were like those of someone who had been stabbed in the back and been betrayed many times.<p>

He watched as Merlin rushed to her side and hugged her. The servant was already on the verge of tears. Gwaine had never seen his friend like this. True, when Lancelot had died, the boy was suffering but he kept it to himself. Now, he seemed to be breaking under emotional strain. His face was contorting into many emotions that Gwaine hoped that he would never have to experience. The girl was hugging him and whispering into his ear, seemingly trying to help.

Gwaine realized that perhaps they wanted to be along and decided to retire. Merlin flashed him a grateful look and gave a small smile over the girl's shoulder. Pulling his cloak off his shoulders and covering himself with it, he lay there unable to sleep, as thoughts whirled through his head. Merlin had certainly allowed him a small insight into his life by telling him about a girl he had once loved. Why the girl had appeared, he couldn't fully understand, but the sky had been filled with stars. It seemed as if fate wanted to give Merlin a second chance. He could hear quiet whispering from where Merlin and the girl were sitting. Gwaine couldn't make out what was being said and soon gave up trying as sleep overcame him.

The next morning, he found Merlin and the girl asleep by the fire, her head resting gently on the boy's chest. She was covered by Merlin's warm leather jacket. Merlin had his arm wrapped around her and he too was sleeping peacefully. Gwaine looked around and found that the others were still asleep, but not for long. Gently, he shook Merlin's shoulder and the servant jumped up slightly, before realizing who it was and relaxing.

"The others will wake soon. I don't know if they will want to see you and her…" He gestured towards Freya. "Together. You might get asked questions." Gwaine whispered to Merlin. The boy nodded and woke Freya up.

"We need to go. Arthur will wake up soon and he'll want to know who you are." The girl nodded to Merlin, before realizing that Gwaine was there. She visibly stiffened and Gwaine felt a stab of pity, as it seemed that she didn't trust anyone.

"Don't worry." He heard Merlin say. "That's Gwaine. He warned me." Gwaine gave her a small smile.

"If your going to go, go now. I'll cover for you, say that you didn't feel well or something like that. Will you meet us in Camelot or will you come back and rejoin us later?" He asked.

"I'll meet you in Camelot." Gwaine nodded in response and began to make breakfast. He listened as their footsteps receded into the distance, and the grumbling protests that came from the awakening knights.

"What time is it?"

"It must be around mid-morning."

"We really slept late."

"WHERE IS THAT IDIOTIC SERVANT?" The last one came from Arthur, who having woken up last had been looking for his manservant in the group.

"Ummmmmm." Everyone looked at Gwaine as he was the first one awake. The knight in question looked at them quizzically.

"He left this morning. Told me that he wasn't feeling well and he would meet us back in Camelot." Something about this answer made Arthur question if it was the truth or not, but he dropped it.

Gwaine breathed a sigh of relief when Arthur didn't pursue the topic.

"All right then. We'll head back to Camelot later. There is small area not far from here that seems to always have plenty of prey to hunt. The knights readied the horses and set off along one of the forest trails.

Gwaine hoped that Merlin would be alright in these woods as he would be wandering through it with the girl. He had a feeling that he would be alright and yet he couldn't ignore the sensation in the pit of his stomach. The knight hadn't even noticed that the others had stopped to track a deer that had passed through the thicket not ten minutes before.

If Gwaine had not being so absorbed in his own thoughts then he might have seen Merlin and the girl sitting at the edge of a lake or heard a thin trickle of laughter floating from them through the trees. Instead, Arthur heard it and went to investigate. The others followed. When they saw that it was Merlin and a girl they all turned to Gwaine with their eyebrows raised.

"I thought that you said that Merlin wasn't feeling well." The one sentence brought Gwaine back to reality. He looked over Arthur's shoulder and in the distance sat Merlin, easily recognizable from the red neckerchief. Gwaine couldn't stop a smile from breaking across his face. Merlin was fine.

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><p><strong>Please review...<strong>

**P.S. Please vote on the poll on my profile about what you want me to do next.**


	5. Chapter 4

**I hope that** **you enjoy this next chapter.**

**Disclaimer: Merlin does not belong to me**

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><p>Merlin had had his first peaceful walk through the forest in ages that morning. Freya had told him that she would only be able to spend a day and a night with him, every three years, before returning to Avalon. It had been a painful revelation that she was not here forever, and yet he found himself not caring. She was with him now and he would enjoy her company while it lasted.<p>

They made their way to the lake that held so many memories for both of them, and sat down on the shore. The water lapped at their feet and the sand, warmed by the sun, was like a comforting blanket on a cold evening.

They sat there for hours, until the sun began to slide towards the horizon. Merlin knew that he only had a few precious hours left with her, but he needed to get back to Camelot. Freya seemed to be thinking the same ting as she had gotten up and had begun to walk towards the lake. Merlin managed to grab her arm and stop her.

"Please. Don't go yet." He begged. She turned to face him.

"Merlin, I'm not really going. I'll come back in three years time." If she was going to say anything else, she didn't have the chance as Merlin wrapped his arms around her and kissed her. She kissed him back before breaking away.

"I will see you again Merlin. Don't worry." Freya gave him a small smile and started off for the lake again. Tears were pricking at Merlin's eyes and he didn't stop them. He let them slide down his cheeks and felt no shame in crying.

Freya began to walk out on to the water, the hem of her dress floating gently on the surface. Her feet never touched the lake bed and she seemed to glide in to the mist that was gathering. She looked over her shoulder and locked her eyes with Merlin's. She stayed like that for a split-second before the mist swallowed her. Merlin just stood on the shore looking at the place where she had disappeared not paying any attention to the cool breeze or that evening was fast approaching.

Suddenly the hairs on the back of his neck stood up and he had the sensation of being watched. Looking up, the figure of a rider stood out against the setting sun. He was easily recognizable as Gwaine. The man's face lit up at being noticed and he gave a smile. Merlin returned it half-heartedly and began to walk back to Camelot, not realizing that the other knights had being watching as well.

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><p>When Arthur had seen Merlin sitting on the shore of a lake with a girl, he didn't know what to think. It was obvious that Gwaine knew about the girl. He had lied for Merlin after all. Arthur turned to the only knight that was still on his horse.<p>

"I thought that you said that Merlin wasn't feeling well." The sentence seemed to break Gwaine out of a sort of trance and the knight looked up. He had obviously seen the two sitting on the shore because he broke in to a large grin. Arthur just waited patiently for answer but Gwaine wouldn't wipe the idiotic smile off his face.

"You told me that Merlin wasn't feeling well." Arthur tried again. "He's obviously well enough to sneak off with a girl. Why didn't he tell any of us." Gwaine's smile vanished and was replaced by a dark look.

"He told me."

"What did he tell you?" Arthur pressed him for more information. The other knights were paying more attention now. Gwaine shook his head.

"You don't want to know."

"Gwaine, please?" There was a touch of pleading in Arthur's voice. Gwaine noticed it and relented.

"The girl that he's sitting with is dead or was dead." Arthur's breath hitched in his throat but he didn't say anything.

"Merlin fell in love with her three years ago. He knew her for only a couple of days and yet they loved each other. He told me that he was going to leave Camelot with her and start a new life somewhere far away. But before they could, the girl was killed by…" Gwaine seemed to pause and think his next words out carefully before continuing. Arthur was well aware that the knight was hiding something. "Somebody and Merlin brought her too a lake. This same lake if I'm not mistaken. She died."

There was a short silence following these words and questions were racing through Arthur's mind.

"Why is she here then, if she's dead." Percival asked. Laughter echoed up from the lake and they were reminded that Merlin was still down by the lake.

"I don't know, but last night he wished that she was back. The sky seemed to fill with stars and when they stopped she had appeared. I went to sleep. This morning I woke them up and told them that they might want to leave to avoid awkward questions." Arthur opened his mouth to defend himself but Gwaine held up his hand.

"Don't deny it Arthur. If you saw Merlin sleeping with his arm around a girl you'd never seen, you'd ask questions. Anyway, they left and I told him that I'd cover for him. Didn't really work did it." There was a note of laughter in his voice.

"He left and told me that he'd meet us back in Camelot. And, well here we are." Arthur was still digesting this new information about Merlin. The servant had met this girl when he was in Camelot and the girl was probably killed in Camelot as well. Why had no one ever noticed or reported her death. Even if the body hadn't been found, the fact that she was missing would probably have reached his ears. Why hadn't Merlin said anything about this girl's death, if it was so upsetting?

Arthur turned his gaze back to Merlin. The girl was obviously leaving as she was getting up. Merlin had grabbed her wrist and was holding her back. She was saying something as her lips were moving, but Arthur couldn't hear what was going on between them. Merlin was tearing up, he could see that. Then he watched in amazement as Merlin hugged and kissed her. It was strange to see his manservant kissing someone, and yet he didn't think much about.

The girl broke away first and she began to walk towards the lake again. This time Merlin just stood back and watched. Arthur could see Merlin's eyes fill with tears and eventually they spilled over. The girl was now walking over the water, and the mist seemed to draw her closer with every step she took. A moment later and Arthur couldn't see her anymore. Merlin stood there for awhile before he began to look up.

"Get down!" Arthur hissed and the others swiftly ducked behind the trees and bushes. Gwaine didn't move. He was still on a horse and in plain sight. Merlin had seen the knight and Gwaine was giving a sad smile. Merlin returned it before disappearing in to the forest.

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><p><strong>I don't know how many more chapters I'll do but I'll probably do at least 1 or 2 or maybe an epilogue.<strong>

**Please review.  
><strong>


	6. Chapter 5

**Once again I'm terribly sorry for the delay in getting this chapter up. School is killing me right now and I only just managed to fit in time to write this. I hope that it lives up to everyone's expectations and that you enjoy it.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin**

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><p>It had been a week and the knights had been waiting for the perfect moment to talk to Merlin. Unfortunately, the servant was making their lives difficult. He always happened to be in someone else's company or would disappear into crowds or around corners when they came close to him. Gwaine seemed to be he only one that Merlin didn't run away from. The other knights had tried to rope him in to help but the knight had steadfastly refused. He wouldn't betray Merlin's story any more then he already had.<p>

Eventually it was Leon and Elyan that had the first opportunity.

Leon and Elyan had gone off on a spur of the moment ride during their spare time and had been alerted by giggling sounds and crashing through trees. Drawing their swords, though the noises made it clear that they wouldn't be necessary, they dismounted their horses. They walked through the forest for a couple of minutes before Leon raised a hand and pointed ahead of him. Elyan nodded in response and they both looked over the bushes.

Merlin was extremely popular with the servant girls in the castle and many of them hoped that he would take notice of them. So far all attempts at getting noticed had gone unheeded by the servant. It seemed that the more that they were ignored, the more desperate the maids became. Leon and Elyan knew this because of Gwen. Even though she was now Queen she still kept up to date with the latest news and gossip. Apparently since the retaking of Camelot, Merlin had become even more popular and the maids even more desperate. Cornered up a tree in the middle of the forest Merlin didn't look as if he was enjoying himself.

The must have been at least a dozen maids sitting around and playing games while waiting for Merlin to come down. The boy in question was looking decisively uneasy and nervous at having a bunch of girls waiting like begging dogs. Leon and Elyan smiled a little before standing up and striding casually into the clearing. A hush fell over the assembled servants, while Merlin looked on in relief at his rescuers. Elyan gave him a smile and tossed the rope tat he always carried with him up to Merlin. The boy caught it deftly and tied it to a branch before lowering himself down. The women didn't look all to pleased to see their quarry escaping but they were unable to do something because of the knights.

"I hope that this isn't what I thought it was because some serious consequences will follow if it happens to be true. I see Merlin cornered up a tree with no means of getting down and no one helping him. Correct?" Leon's voice was quiet and serious. He was in no mood to joke around.

"Yes." Came the mumbled answer.

"And I see no other men here."

"Yes."

"And Merlin doesn't appear to be enjoying himself."

"Yes."

"Good. I'm glad we all agree on this issue. I'm prepared to make you a deal. I won't say anything to anyone about this incident and you won't bother Merlin anymore. He's not single." Merlin went bug-eyed in surprise at the comment and everyone looked at him.

"Whaa… How… How did you know that?" The servant boy stuttered. Elyan grinned.

"You really need to find someone else other than Gwaine to make up excuses for you." Merlin groaned and took off shouting.

"I'm coming to kill you Gwaine!" Both knights shared a smile before turning to go.

"Don't forget our promise… Or else…" Leon said with a slightly threatening tone. "And not a word to the rest of the castle. If you truly care about Merlin then you won't gossip about him and his lady friend." Everyone gulped and nodded at the knight's approval.

"Good day then." The knights left the maids to sort out their supplies and make their own way back to Camelot. Now all they had to do was confront Merlin. No easy task.

Merlin was waiting for them back at the horses, itching to go and find Gwaine. When he saw the two knights approaching, he stormed up to them, his expression unreadable.

"What did Gwaine tell you. I want to know how much you know." He said, his eyes filled with emotion, though his voice barely shook.

"We… Uh… We didn't find out until we went hunting by a lake and we saw you." Elyan said, before hastily adding, "It was just both of us and Gwaine. We persuaded Gwaine to tell us and he did. That's how we found out." Merlin gave a curt nod before turning and mounting Leon's horse. He kicked it and they both disappear into the distance. Leon tried to call after him, but the servant didn't hear him. Elyan offered to share his horse and Leon agreed. Maybe this ride hadn't been the best idea.

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><p>The first thing that Gwaine noticed when Merlin came striding up to him on the training field was the stormy expression on his face. The next was the hard slap that sent him reeling. Gwaine stared at the servant in disbelief, one hand clasping his sore face. The other knights looked on slightly amused at the sight. Merlin then punched him repeatedly until Gwaine finally began to retaliate. He grabbed Merlin's fist as he threw another punch and twisted it behind him.<p>

"What has gotten in to you?" Gwaine asked.

"You told them about her, didn't you! You broke your word!" Everyone was staring at them now, wondering what was going on between the two friends.

"Not here. People are starting to stare." He then proceeded to drag Merlin away from prying eyes. Once he and Merlin were in a deserted corridor, he finally let go of the servant.

"Okay that's better. Now calm down and tell me. What's this about?" Merlin took a deep shuddering breath and replied.

"I was in the forest and cornered by about a dozen maids." Gwaine snorted at this. "Then Elyan and Leon turned up and saved me. They then said that you had told them about… about Freya." He choked out her name. "They also said that when you went hunting, they saw me. And I hope that no one else saw, because I wouldn't like it." He finished in a deadly voice that made Gwaine hastily nod his head.

"No one else saw."

"Good. And I hope for your sake that's true." Merlin pushed past the knight, glaring at him until he turned the corner. Gwaine sighed in relief before rushing off to find Arthur and Percival. He didn't want them saying the wrong things.

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><p>Merlin was sitting on the floor of Arthur's room polishing his boots. Gwen had stopped by and helped do some of his chores even though she was now queen. She had been worried about him and it had showed. Merlin had managed to persuade her that he was fine and was just tired. In reality, he was far from fine. His once healed heart had been broken again and now that half of his friends knew one of his most closely guarded secrets, he was being extra cautious about what he said and did around them.<p>

They say that time heals everything but a broken heart and Merlin had found that to be true. His heart had mended as best as it could, but it had never been the same since Freya's death. His heart was scarred forever, though seeing her again had lessened the burden from his shoulders.

The door swung open, revealing Arthur wearing his ceremonial sword and clothes, having just attended a knighting. He tossed the sword carelessly on the table, before doing the same with his cloak.

"All the stupid formalities. I need to make sure that Geoffery shortens all the proceedings. It takes up far to much time. Eh, Merlin." He directed the last part to Merlin, who didn't respond. Arthur's brow creased in a frown.

"Merlin?"

"Mmmmmm…" Arthur walked over to Merlin and sat down next to him. This action made Merlin look up in surprise. Arthur never sat next to him on purpose. Yes, there had been that one time shortly after Freya's death, but Merlin hadn't thought much of it at the time. Now Merlin had noticed and realized how wrong this seemed.

"Something's been upsetting you." Now Merlin was extremely surprised and slightly suspicious.

"Maybe." He said cautiously.

"Right…" Arthur's tone full of disbelief.

"Just leave me alone."

"No."

"Please Arthur."

"No."

"For once in your life, just do as I say Arthur."

"I know about the druid girl, Merlin." The silence that greeted that statement was uncomfortable to say the least. Merlin was opening and closing his mouth repeatedly, trying to get his brain to work, whilst Arthur was waiting to see how his servant would react.

"Did Gwaine tell you?" Merlin finally managed to ask once he'd found his voice again.

"Yes and no. I saw you by the lake and Gwaine filled me in on the details." Merlin took a long shuddering breath.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you." Arthur raised an eyebrow.

"You should be sorry." Merlin looked at him in confusion and slight fear. "There will be grave consequences Merlin." The boy gulped.

"Are… Are you that angry with me…" Arthur's face broke into a large grin.

"Of coarse! Now that I know you can figure girls out you can go shopping for me. I've ordered Percival to go collect flowers for Gwen. I'm sure that you will be of great assistance to him." He clapped Merlin on the shoulder before standing up and heading out the door. He then turned around as if he'd forgotten something.

"Oh and Merlin."

"Yes…"

"I knew I wasn't fat!"

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><p><strong>The End<br>**

**There you have it. It was difficult to think about how to end it but I think that this is pretty good, a bit sappy though in my opinion. This story is finished and I'm going to finish all my other stories BEFORE starting something else (never going to happen). This is not going to be my last Merlin/Freya story so all you fans of this pairing, I hope that you will read the other stories that I will add on . Until then, PLEASE REVIEW!**


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